CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (KFVS) – Siteman Cancer Center, based at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, is unveiling a rolling resource to improve community health.
According to a release, the 40-foot “Health on the Move” community van, operated by Siteman’s Program for Elimination of Cancer Disparities, will bring cancer screenings directly to residents of St. Louis and 82 counties in Missouri and Illinois. The van also offers a motorized lift to ensure accessibility for all.
Starting in late March, the mobile unit will travel throughout the greater region, from Jefferson City, Missouri, to the Indiana and Kentucky borders and from Springfield, Illinois, to the Missouri Bootheel.
Available services include:
- Fecal Immunochemical Tests, which are take-home stool screening tests for colorectal cancer, an alternative to colonoscopies
- Prostate-Specific Antigen tests for the early detection of prostate cancer
- Blood sugar tests to detect elevated blood sugar, a risk factor for diabetes
- Educational resources to help prevent cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and other chronic illnesses
- The latest information on family history, genetics and hereditary cancer, and clinical trials
Leaders with the Siteman Cancer Center say initial screenings are free whether someone has health insurance or not, but an appointment is necessary.
PECaD will work with uninsured individuals to find healthcare coverage for any recommended follow-up care.
The Health on the Move van will be staffed by Washington University care-team members, including phlebotomists and public health coordinators. All tests will be read by Washington University clinicians, with results typically available two to three weeks after screening.
Normal results will be sent by mail and through MyChart for those with three accounts. Patients with abnormal test results will receive a personal call to discuss next steps.
In the Heartland, the van will make stops in these Missouri counties: Bollinger, Butler, Cape Girardeau, Carter, Dunklin, Madison, Mississippi, New Madrid, Pemiscot, Perry, Ripley, Scott, Stoddard, and Wayne.
In Southern Illinois, the van will also make stops in the following counties: Alexander, Franklin, Gallatin, Hamilton, Hardin, Jackson, Jefferson, Johnson, Massac, Perry, Pope, Pulaski, Saline, Union, and Williamson.
For information about van stops and available appointment times, you can visit the Siteman Cancer Center website.
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